It is being pointed out that, when lipids in food are oxidized, not only is the flavor of the food spoiled, but the products of such oxidation also cause cancer. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide sesaminol glucosides capable of generating sesaminol by hydrolysis during the processing of meats such as hams and sausages and thereby effectively inhibiting the oxidation of lipids in such meats, as well as processed sesame products containing them and methods of producing them.
Natural anti-oxidants such as sesaminol, sesamolinol and pinoresinol have been known (Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai 62-581, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,649,206 and 4,708,820). They are lignan compounds contained in sesame seeds and since they are natural, they have the advantage of being reasonably safe. Their usefulness is limited, however, because all these natural anti-oxidants are oil-soluble but not water-soluble.
It has also been known that, if a water-soluble medium is used for extraction of sesame seeds, glucosides of such lignan compounds appear in the extract (Japanese Patent Publications Tokko 61-26342 and Tokkai 62-238287). The glucosides appearing in such extracts are water-soluble, and hence such extracts can be used as a water-soluble anti-oxidant. The structure of such glucosides, however, is unknown. Thus, even if such an extract or a product obtained by condensing or physically refining it is used as a water-soluble anti-oxidant, the effect is not sufficiently high.